A Quest Like No Other
by SwigittySwagFag
Summary: An Enchantress claims to be able to control shadows in every realm even the one where Baelfire resides? Is this true? Rumpelstiltskin jumps at the opportunity and is surprised at every whim.


Rumpelstiltskin appeared at every village,questioning every villager about shadows. Most villages thought him mad,like the rest of the Enchanted Forest. Eventually he found his homeland village and began to question and this time with brute force. He nabbed a village boy by the throat and the village gathered around him.  
''Where is this Shadow Wench?!" He yelled at them, squeezing the boy's throat tighter. The boy struggled while his mother cried and screamed out for him.  
''We must tell him or he'll die.'' A whisper from the crowd.  
Rumpelstiltskin released the boy and appeared behind the woman whom had whispered.  
''What are ya' talking about, dearie?" He said as he grabbed her throat.  
''The Shadow Demon! She lives in the cursed hut!" The man said in between coughs while pointing at Rumpelstiltskin's old house.  
The Dark One released the man and nodded in a false thanks. The rest of the village scurried home as quickly as possible. He smirked and pretty much waltzed over to the his old hobble. His eyes narrowed the door as he turned the knob slowly before kicking the door in to his former home. An expression of confusion swept over his face for a moment. The inside of the house has been turned into a endless void of darkness with millions of red eyes staring at Rumpelstiltskin. A smirk spread across his face as a mischievous giggle escaped his mouth while his stare remained focused on the one pair of red eyes directly ahead of him.  
''Come out,dearie! I won't hurt you too bad!" The pair of eyes that was locked with his narrowed into a glare.  
''Rumpelstiltskin?'' Soft whispers echo the darkness.  
Rumpelstiltskin smirked,''I'm right ahead of you! No need to look left or right.''  
The shadows replayed his giggle and faded until a hooded woman appeared.  
''You're funny! Legend never said that.'' She said in her Scottish accent, slowly, she removed the hood.  
Her long,curly white hair accented her blood red eyes, she wore a black and white warrior enchantress analyzes the powerful green skinned man before her.  
''I'm not here for small talk, I'd like to think you know the exact reason why I am here today.'' Rumpelstiltskin replied bitterly.  
''So much pleasantries.'' She smirked at him and leaned against the wall.''There's a man after you Rump- may I call you Rump?" The woman seemed amused.  
''I am not one for nicknames, sweetheart. Though you can call me by my more well known moniker. I am the Dark One, and my patience is waning.''  
The white haired enchantress lost that amused look and instead gave an expressionless face.  
''You don't even know if he's alive and you wish to go somewhere that'll leave you powerless.'' She remarked,turning around to grab a dusty gold crown fit for a king.  
''I don't care what happens to me beyond this realm! I want my son back and you will tell me how I must reach him!'' He yelled at her.  
She gave a look of admiration towards Rumple and spoke softly and gently.''He's safe,by the way, alive,safe and sound over there.''  
Relief crossed his face.''What? Are you telling me... You have my son? My Bae?''  
''No, no! The minute I heard you were looking for me, I searched out your son in the realm without magic.I'm everyone's shadow.'' She demonstrated turning into his shadow and returning to her enchantress state.  
Rumple began to grow angry and walked towards the woman intimidatingly yet she never moved. He glared at the woman before raising his voice into a vicious loud yell.  
''Do not lie to me woman! I have no time for lies and slander!'' A scoff escaped the woman's mouth as she shook her head in disgust.  
''Okay, Rumple, one thing: I cannot lie! Second thing:MY name is NOT woman, it is Acari. Third Thing: I just told you Baelfire is safe and sound and you scream at me, most fathers would be jumping for joy and if you want my help you're not going to get it if you act like that towards me.'' Acari stood up for herself.  
He was surprised given that no one has ever attempted to defy or otherwise talk back to him.''Forgive me... Acari. You must know how I came to be the Dark One. Trusting people does not come to me easliy.''His tone slightly gentler than normal.''Please tell me... Where my son is and how I can get to him...''  
''And I'm sorry for snapping at you." She sighed and looked him in the eye.''It'll take a very,very long time and a lot of magic. Both of us together, the magic issue won't be a problem.'' She looked away from him for second.''I have never taken a passenger with me to other realms.''  
'' Well dearie, there is a first time for everything! Now, is there a deal we shall be making?''  
''I'm don't do deals, especially with you, at least not until I can fully trust you.'' Acari looked at him and smiled.''I'm not doing this for benefit, I'm doing this so you can see your son.''  
He was confused,quite confused.''Will you consider it a gift to me? And I will owe you a favor? I don't give those out too often, dearie.''  
Acari giggled and shook her head.''Rumple, I'm doing this as a friend, okay?"  
''As a friend... You would want to be my friend...?'' Even more confused, Rumpelstiltskin couldn't comprehend her.  
"And why not? I did say you are funny did I not?" She smiled and walked toward the door.''Now we have a hell of a quest to get to...unless you need rest.''  
''Demons don't rest, darling. Let us get a head start.''

''It seems we are one of the same,hm?" She smirked turning into a shadow toward the woods,evading the village completely.''Can you keep up Rumple?" Her voice echoed in the darkness of the shadows.  
Rumpelstiltskin watched the shadow with a amused noticed how fast she was going and decided to appear near where he saw the shadow that she was already too far ahead,he chuckled and shook his head.  
''Why that cheeky... I'm sure you'll be out of breath in minutes, my dear.'' He remarked all-knowingly.  
All of the sudden his own shadow leaned in over his shoulder repeating what had been said by Rumple.  
''Demons never rest,darling.'' Echoed in his ear.  
He realized that he didn't even know where they were heading and he was blindly following some woman around like a lost puppy wanting a stopped right in his tracks.  
'' I hope I do not regret this. Where are we traveling to first? I wouldn't want to be blindsided on this plan of yours.''  
The shadow evaporated and Acari appeared right next to him.  
"Your Dark Palace.'' She stopped and stood right next him.''We need to prepare for the must travel through different realms, you can't just go directly to one.I'll explain when we arrive at our temporary destination.''  
''Hmm, very well. Luckily I have more than enough supplies at my humble abode.'' He eyed Acari for a quick second.  
They walked further into the woods together without speaking,at first it was an uncomfortable,awkward silence until more hours passed by where they got more comfortable with a companion at their was some getting used to for the both of as Rumple had only traveled alone since Bae had left the current land that he was in.  
Acari kept glancing over at Rumpelstiltskin like something was eating at her and making her guilty.  
''It's just ahead.'' He said softly awaking her from her previous thoughts.  
''Wait a second, you need to know two things before we start anything. First,I can speak to Baelfire right now and give him a message from you. Second,in order for this to work you need to trust me.'' Acari looked up at him and stopped moving as soon as she saw his surprised expression,he only had it for a millisecond.  
''Tell him... Tell him I'm sorry... for everything. And... I'm coming to get him. As for trusting you... I'm here with you know aren't I?'' He said very softly she almost couldn't even hear him.  
''You're not a coward you know.'' She blurted out.''You weren't even the village coward. They just needed someone to blame for the ogre wars,for everything.'' She quickly covered her mouth,expecting the male before her to get angry or upset at her for saying that.  
''Heh... I wish you were there years ago, to announce that... I'm going to... Go scout ahead and clear our path. Unless you'd rather we, pop into my palace and miss out on a nice walk.''  
She was surprised,genuinely surprised at his reaction. ''Go for it and I'll...talk to Baelfire.''  
While Rumpelstiltskin went ahead and scouted the area,Acari sat down in the forest dirt and closed her eyes and when she opened them they were completely black even whites of her surrounded her,wrapping itself around Acari and orbited her as if she was the Earth to the moon.  
''What am I doing? I'm sure I don't need her help... She knows where Bae is though... Gah! You fool! Try to change, for him.'' He talked to himself.  
Short echoes are heard near Acari but the voice wasn't hers it Bae's.''Cari! Why can't I hear you?! I can see you but why can't I hear you!?"  
Wisps of black mist surrounded her head as if it were a halo,she was mouthing words in front of Rumple but she didn't see him.  
'You're dad is with me and we're coming.' She mouthed.  
''Acari?'' He said worried for both Acari and his son.''Acari...what's going on? Is it Baelfire?"  
The black wisps got sucked back into her mouth and her eyes turned to normal. It was as if she awoke from a bad dream, awaking with a gasp and breathing she returned to normal , she looked at Rumpelsiltskin.  
''Did you hear him? Baelfire, did you hear him?" Acari asked him.  
''I barely heard him, but what was going on? In all my years, I've never seen such a thing like that!'' Rumple exclaimed.  
''If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're impressed.'' She cheekily grinned.  
'' Truly. Ever since becoming the Dark One, I've lost sight of appreciating things. That was very different from my many encounters with magic.'' He admitted extremely out of character.  
''If I was able to blush I would.'' She smirked.''This magic is strictly something your born with.''  
'' Ah, natural magic at its finest I see. I think we could teach each other a few things in this new friendship thing. Don't you agree, dearie?'' His mischievous giggle returned.  
''I like darling better.'' She smiled at Rumple.''I can't teach you my magic,I apologize.''  
''Well darling, I know there are some things you can learn from me. First lesson: Don't be greedy! Look at what that did to me!" He gestures to all of himself.  
Acari giggles.''You not SO bad.''  
''Oh I'm very bad, darling. But... Let's not get into that for now. Let's walk now, shall we?'' He began walking towards his castle.  
''Maybe very bad works for you.'' She strutted ahead of him.''Do try to keep up,Rump.''  
Something stirred inside of Rumpelstiltskin and he enjoyed it.''I'm starting to like you sweetheart. Not sure how I feel about it.''  
''Starting? Oh c'mon you liked me before now.'' She smirked still slightly ahead of him.''You'll figure it out.''  
''Don't flatter yourself too much, dear. I heard it's not too good for one's health.'' He remarked tactfully knowing he's met his match with wits, he smirked.  
''In large was just a small dose.'' She matched his smirk.  
''Well a small does can turn into many in a short amount of time. Lead on, darling. The sun will not stay up for long.''  
"Speaking of the sun going down, surely you have a balcony on this Dark Palace." Acari continued on walking until met with a pathway that only appeared until Rumple was close.  
His eyebrows knotted together in confusion of the statement.''I do indeed. Would we need one on this little quest of ours?''  
''No, I just fancy the stars.'' Acari smirked at Rumple.''Know any good constellations,Rump?"


End file.
